Methods of treating cachexia

ABSTRACT

A method of treating weight loss due to underlying disease in a patient the method comprising administering to the patient an effective amount of an agent which reduces sympathetic nervous system activity. A method of treating weight loss due to underlying disease in a patient the 10 method comprising administering to the patient an effective amount of any one or more of the following: a compound which inhibits the effect of aldosterone such as an aldosterone antagonist; a chymase inhibitor; a cathepsin B inhibitor; a 13 receptor blocker; an imidazoline receptor antagonist; a centrally acting tx receptor antagonist; a peripherally acting ct receptor antagonist; a ganglion blocking agent; a drug that has an effect on cardiovascular reflexes and thereby reduce SNS activity such as an opiate; scopolamine; an endothelin receptor antagonist; and a xanthine oxidase inhibitor. The methods are particularly useful in treating cardiac cachexia.

This application is a 371 of International Application No. PCT/GB99/03302 entitled “Methods of Treatment”, filed in the United Kingdom Receiving Office for the PCT on Oct. 15, 1999, which claims priority to Patent Application No. 9822458.7, filed in the United Kingdom on Oct. 15, 1998, Patent Application No. 9822459.5, filed in the United Kingdom on Oct. 15, 1998, and Patent Application No. 9917181.1, filed in the United Kingdom on Jul. 23, 1999.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to methods of treatment, in particular it relates to methods of treating weight loss due to underlying disease (cachexia).

Weight loss due to underlying disease, often termed “cachexia”, occurs in patients with a wide variety of diseases including acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), liver cirrhosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic renal failure, chronic infections including pneumonia, cancer (cancer cachexia), diabetes and heart disease including hypertension and chronic heart failure (CHF) (cardiac cachexia). Cachexia may also occur idiopathically.

In all cases, cachexia may be an indicator of a poor prognosis and its reversal, stopping or at least slowing down, is desirable. Indeed, a strong relationship between weight loss and mortality has been found for many conditions.

Hormonal changes and catabolic/anabolic imbalance in chronic heart failure (CHF) and their relevance in cardiac cachexia has been discussed in Anker et al (1997) Circulation 96, 526-534. Similarly, catecholamine levels, serum uric acid levels, TNFα levels and other hormone levels have been measured in patients with CHF (see, for example. Anker et al (1997) Heart 78, 39-43; Anker et al (1998) Q J. Med. 91, 199-203; Anker (1998) Eur. Heart J. 19, (Suppl F), F56-F61; Anker et al (1497) J. Amer. Coll. Cardiol. 30, 997-1001; Anker et al (1999) Eur. Heart. 20, 683-693; Anker (1999) Chest 115, 836-847). In addition, studies have been made of the loss of bone mineral in patients with cachexia due to CHF (Anker et al (1999) Am. J. Cardiol. 83, 612-615).

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

However, no-one has suggested that reducing sympathetic nervous system activity and/or improving cardiovascular reflex status would be beneficial to patients with cardiac cachexia and also to patients with cachexia due to any cause and, indeed, idiopathic cachexia.

A first aspect of the invention provides a method of treating weight loss due to underlying disease in a patient the method comprising administering to the patient an effective amount of an agent which reduces sympathetic nervous system activity and/or improves cardiovascular reflex status.

Without prejudice to further aspects of the invention and without being bound by any theories as to how the invention works, we believe that at least some of the information described in the Examples indicates that agents which inhibit sympathetic nervous system activity, either directly or indirectly, (for example by directly or indirectly having ergo-reflex, chemoreflex or baroreflex effects) have a beneficial effect on cachexia probably by a reduction of apoptosis, a reduction in metabolic rates or by vasodilation with better blood flow to tissues. We provide information that, surprisingly, certain pathways are abnormal in cachexia due to a wide range of underlying diseases, but they are not abnormal in weight loss due to starvation.

A second aspect of the invention provides a method of treating weight loss due to underlying disease in a patient the method comprising administering to the patient an effective amount of any one or more of the following: a compound which inhibits the effect of aldosterone such as an aldosterone antagonist; a chymase inhibitor; a cathepsin inhibitor; a β receptor blocker; an imidazoline receptor antagonist; a centrally acting α receptor antagonist; a peripherally acting α receptor antagonist; a ganglion blocking agent; a drug that has an effect on cardiovascular reflexes and thereby reduce SNS activity such as an opiate via chemoreceptor; scopolamine; an endothelin receptor antagonist; a xanthine oxidase inhibitor; and erythropoietin.

The method may be used on any mammal and so the term “patient” includes a human patient and also includes any other mammal including domestic animals such as cats and dogs, and farm animals such as cows, pigs, horses, sheep, goats and the like. It is preferred if the method is used to treat humans.

A third aspect of the invention provides a method of treating weight loss due to underlying disease in a patient the method comprising electrically stimulating the patient's muscles. This may be done using any transcutaneous electrical stimulator applied to the skin over a muscle or its nerve to stimulate muscle contractions. Suitably, to increase muscle strength and bulk high frequency stimulation (eg 50 Hz) is used. In contrast low frequency stimulation (eg 10 Hz) may enhance slow fatigue resistant fibres and could cause a fibre type shift which could reduce strength and so is not preferred.

In treating weight loss due to underlying disease in a patient it is useful if the weight loss is reversed or stopped or at least slowed down.

The aforementioned compounds and procedures are useful for the treatment or prevention of weight loss due to underlying disease (cachexia). These underlying diseases include, for example, but are not restricted to, AIDS, liver cirrhosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with or without emphysema, chronic renal failure, chronic infections (like pneumonia), cancer (ie cancer cachexia), and heart disease including hypertension and chronic heart failure (ie cardiac cachexia), and idiopathic cachexia (ie cachexia due to unknown disease).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows that chronic wasting disorders show increased activity of SNS (sympathetic nervous system) as evidenced by increased plasma noradrenaline levels. All of the cachectic disorders marked (*) have mean plasma noradrenaline levels which are higher than normal. Mean values are given for noradrenaline plasma levels in nmol/l. COPD is chronic occluded pulmonary disease. ncCHF is non-cachectic CHF.

FIG. 2 shows that, on average, patients with active wasting disease have 2.5- to 12-fold increased aldosterone levels compared to healthy controls (their mean: 43.2 ng/ml, upper limit or normal: 81 ng/ml). Patients with weight loss due to malnutrition have normal aldosterone levels.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Compounds or procedures that may reduce angiotensin II plasma levels and therefore are useful in the practice of the invention include:

-   -   1. any compound with an inhibiting effect on aldosterone, eg         aldosterone antagonists such as spironolactone (which may be         given at between 12.5 mg and 300 mg per day, orally) and         testolactone (which may be given at 40 mg/kg per day, orally),         RU40555 (which may be given at 10-30 mg/kg orally), RU26752 (a         synthetic aldosterone antagonist), canrenoate (which may be         given at 20 mg/day iv) also known as Canrenoate Potassium,         eplerenone (oral), 3-(17         beta-hydroxy-3-oxoandrosta-1,4,6,11-tetraen-17         alpha-yl)propionic acid gamma-lactone, 3-(9 alpha-fluoro-17         beta-hydroxy-3-oxoandrost-4-en-17 alpha-yl)propionic acid         gamma-lactone (31), dihydrospirorenone, spirorenone,         15,16-methylene derivatives of spironolactone, mespirenone (CAS         87952-98-5) and SC9420;     -   2. chymase inhibitors, including alendronate, aprotinin and         tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases (TIMPs);     -   3. cathepsin B inhibitors, including epoxysuccinyl peptides such         as CA-074 and E-64c, stefinA, cystatin C (endogenous inhibitor),         CA074 (a specific inhibitor of cathepsin B) and E-64 (natural         inhibitor of cathepsin B);     -   4. exercise training;     -   5. electrical muscle stimulation;

Compounds that may reduce catecholamine plasma levels and the activity of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) include:

-   -   6. Beta (β) receptor blockers including acebutolol, alprenolol,         atenolol, betaxolol, bisoprolol, carteolol, celiprolol, esmolol,         labetolol, lavobunolol, metipranolol, metoprolol, nadolol,         oxprenolol, penbutolol, pindolol, propanolol, sotalol,         nebivolol, carvedilol, bucindolol and timolol; Atenolol and         bisoprolol are preferred.     -   7. imidazoline receptor antagonists (including moxonidine,         clonidine, rilmenidine, pentamidine         (1,5-bis(4-amidonophenoxy)pentane) and alpha methyl dopa;     -   8. centrally acting alpha receptor agonists like clonidine;     -   9. peripherally acting alpha receptor antagonists such as         doxazosin (which may be given at 1-16 mg orally per day),         prazosin, terazosin and ipsapirone;     -   10. ganglion blocking agents including azamethonium, dicolinium,         hexamethonium, mecamylamine, pentamethonium, pentolinium,         trimetaphan, benzohexonium, hexafluorenium, cypenam,         trimethaphan canfosulfonate, tetraethylammonium bromide, and         synapleg;     -   11. drugs that have effects on cardiovascular reflexes and         thereby reduce SNS activity including         -   opiates (via chemoreceptor) such as dihydrocodeine,             morphine, diamorphine and buprenorphine         -   scopolamine;     -   12. xanthine oxidase inhibitors including allopurinol (which may         be given at 50-1000 mg per day orally), 7,8-dihydroneopterin,         5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobiopterin, leukopterin, xanthopterin,         neopterin, biopterin, 4-amino-6-hydroxypyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine         (AHPP), and oxypurinol;         -   Allopurinol is preferred.

Endothelin receptor (such as ET-I receptor) antagonists include

-   -   endothelin receptor A antagonist BQ 123     -   ETB-receptor antagonist BQ-788     -   A-216546         ([2S-(2,2-dimethylpentyl)-4S-(7-methoxy-1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-1-(N,N-di(n-butyl)aminocarbonylmethyl)-pyrrolidine-3R-carboxylic         acid), a potent antagonist with >25,000-fold selectivity for the         endothelin ET(A) receptor     -   ABT-627 (1, A-147627, active enantiomer of A-127722), a         2,4-diaryl substituted pyrrolidine-3-carboxylic acid based         endothelin receptor-A antagonist. This compound binds to the ETA         receptor with an affinity (Ki) of 0.034 nNM and with a 2000-fold         selectivity for the ETA receptor versus the ETB receptor.     -   IRL 3461: a potent endothelin antagonist with balanced ETA/ETB         affinity     -   oral endothelin-receptor antagonist bosentan (0.1-1.0 g BID,         preferred 0.25-0.5 g BID), has combined ETA/ETB affrnitv     -   LU135252, a selective antagonist of the ETA receptor     -   S-0139, (+)-disodium         27-[(E)-3-[2-[(E)-3-carboxylatoacryloylamino]-5-hydroxyphenl]acrylayloxy]-3-oxoolean-12-en-28-oate,         an ETA selective antagonist     -   N-(6-(2-(5-bromopyrimidin-4-yl)-4-(2-hydroxy-1,1-dimethylethyl)-benzensulfonamide         sodium salt sesquihydrate (T-0201), a nonpeptide endothelin (ET)         receptor antagonist. In binding studies, T-0201 competitively         antagonized the specific binding of [125I]-ET-1 to human cloned         ETA receptors     -   unselective ET(A)/ET(B) receptor antagonist, PD 142,893     -   PD164333, an analogue of the orally active butenolide         antagonists of the endothelin ETA receptor     -   Ro 61-1790 [5-methyl-pyridine-2-sulfonic acid         6-(2-hydroxy-ethoxy)-5-(2-methoxy-phenoxy)-2-(2-1H-tetrazol-5-yl-+++pyridin-4-yl)-pyrimidin-4-ylamide]         is a competitive ET antagonist with an affinity to ETA receptor         in the subnanomolar range. It has an approximately 1000-fold         selectivity for the ETA vs the ETB receptor     -   ET-A antagonist PD-156,707     -   SB 209670, a rationally designed potent nonpeptide endothelin         receptor antagonist     -   endothelin B receptor-selective antagonist: IRL 1038,         [Cys11-Cys15]-endothelin-1 (11-21)     -   WS-7338 B, a specific antagonist for vascular ETA receptors.

The endothelins (ETs) are a family of bicyclic 21-amino acid peptides that are potent and prolonged vasoconstrictors. ET receptor antagonists improve peripheral blood flow, improve muscle metabolic status and thereby ergoreflex, and, we believe, thereby reduce SNS activity. ET-A receptor blockade is preferred in the practice of the invention.

Various compounds are described in at least the following publications:

RU40555

Evaluation of RU28318 and RU40555 as selective mineralocorticoid receptor and glucocorticoid receptor antagonists, respectively: receptor measures and functional studies. Kim P J, Cole M A, Kalman B A, Spencer R L. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 1998 Nov 67: 3 213-22.

RU 26752

Effects of antimineralocorticoid RU 26752 on steroid-induced hypertension in rats. Kalimi M, Opoku J, Agarwal M, Corley K. Am J Physiol 1990 May 258: 5 Pt 1 E737-9.

CAS 87952-98-5

Inhibitory effects of the novel anti-aldosterone compound mespirenone on adrenocortical steroidogenesis in vitro. Weindel K, Lewicka S, Vecsei P. Arzneimittelforschung 1991 Sep 41: 9 946-9.

SC9420

Blocking by spironolactone (SC 9420) of the action of aldosterone upon the intestinal transport of potassium, sodium, and water. Elmslie R G, Mulholland A T, Shields R. Gut 1966 Dec. 7: 6 697-9.

TIMPS

Bimolecular interaction of matrix metalloproteinases and their inhibitors TIMPs. Tschesche H. J Protein Chem 1998 Aug. 17: 6 549-51.

CA-074

Novel epoxysuccinyl peptides. A selective inhibitor of cathepsin B, in vivo. Towatari T, Nikawa T, Murata M, Yokoo C, Tamai M, Hanada K, Katunuma N. FEBS Lett 1991 Mar. 25 280: 2 311-5.

E-64c

Effects of selective inhibition of cathepsin B and general inhibition of cysteine proteinases on lysosomal proteolysis in rat liver in vivo and in vitro. Ohshita T, Nikawa T, Towatari T, Katunuma N. Eur J Biocliem 1992 Oct. 1 209: 1 223-31.

Stefin A

Identification of bovine stefin A, a novel protein inhibitor of cysteine proteinases. Turk B, Ritonja A, Björk I, Stoka V, Dolenc I, Turk V. FEBS Lett 1995 Feb. 27 360: 2 101-5.

cystatin C

Two-step mechanism of inhibition of cathepsin B by cystatin C due to displacement of the proteinase occluding loop. Nycander M, Estrada S, Mort J S, Abrahamson M, Björk I. FEBS Lett 1998 Jan. 23 422: 1 61-4.

E64

Inhibitions by E-64 derivatives of rat liver cathepsin B and cathepsin L in vitro and in vivo. Hashida S, Towatari T, Kominami E, Katunuma N. J Biochem (Tokyo) 1980 Dec 88: 6 1805-11.

BQ 123

In vitro biological profile of a highly potent novel endothelin (ET) antagonist BQ-123 selective for the ETA receptor. Ihara M, Ishikawa K, Fukuroda T, Saeki T, Funabashi K, Fukami T, Suda H, Yano M. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol 1992 20 Suppl 12 S11-4.

BQ-788

Biochemical and pharmacological profile of a potent and selective endothelin B-receptor antagonist, BQ-788. Ishikawa K, Ihara M, Noguchi K, Mase T, Mino N, Saeki T, Fukuroda T, Fukami T, Ozaki S, Nagase T, et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1994 May 24 91: 11 4892-6.

A-216546

Pyrrolidine-3-carboxylic acids as endothelin antagonists. 3. Discovery of a potent, 2-nonaryl, highly selective ETA antagonist (A-216546). Liu G, Henry K J Jr, Szczepankiewicz B G, Winn M, Kozmina N S, Boyd S A, Wasicak J, von Geldern T W, Wu-Wong J R, Chiou W J, Dixon D B, Nguyen B, Marsh K C, Opgenorth T J. J Med Chem 1998 Aug. 13 41: 17 3261-75.

A-127722

Potent and selective non-benzodioxole-containing endothelin-A receptor antagonists. Tasker A, Sorensen B K, Jae H S, Winn M, von Geldern T W, Dixon D B, Chiou W J, Dayton B D, Calzadila S, Hernandez L, Marsh K C, WuWong J R, Opgenorth T J. J Med Chem 1997 Jan. 31 40: 3 322-30.

ABT-627

Pyrrolidine-3-carboxylic acids as endothelin antagonists. 2. Sulfonamide-based ETA/ETB mixed antagonists. Jae H S, Winn M, Dixon D B, Marsh K C, Nguyen B, Opgenorth T J, von Geldern T W. J Med Chem 1997 Sep. 26 40: 20 3217-27.

IRL 3461

Discovery of IRL 3461: a novel and potent endothelin antagonist with balanced ETA/ETB affinity. Sakaki J, Murata T, Yuumoto Y, Nakamura I, Trueh T, Pitterna T, Iwasaki G, Oda K, Yamamura T, Hayakawa K. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 1998 Aug. 18 8: 16 2241-6.

LU135252

Effects of chronic ETA-receptor blockade in angiotensin II-induced hypertension. d'Uscio L V, Moreau P, Shaw S, Takase H, Barton M, Lüscher T F. Hypertension 1997 Jan. 29: 1 Pt 2 435-41.

S-0139

Binding characterization of [3H]S-0139, an antagonist of the endothelin ET(A) receptor subtype. Mihara S, Tozawa F, Itazaki K, Fujimoto M. Eur J Pharmacol 1998 Jan. 26 342: 2-3 319-24.

T-0201

Pharmacological profile of T-0201, a highly potent and orally active endothelin receptor antagonist. Hoshino T, Yamauchi R, Kikkawa K, Yabana H, Murata S. Pharmacol Exp Ther 1998 Aug 286: 2 643-9.

PD 142, 893

In vitro and in vivo studies with a series of hexapeptide endothelin antagonists. Doherty A M, Cody W L, He J X, DePue P L, Cheng X M, Welch K M, Flynn M A, Reynolds E E, LaDouceur D M, Davis L S, et al. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol 1993 22 Suppl 8 S98-102.

PD164333

Characterization of [²⁵I]-PD164333, an ETA selective non-peptide radiolabelled antagonist, in normal and diseased human tissues. Davenport A P, Kuc R E, Ashby M J, Patt W C, Doherty A M. Br J Pharmacol 1998 Jan 123: 2 223-30.

Ro 61-1790

Ro 61-1790, a new hydrosoluble endothelin antagonist: general pharmacology and effects on experimental cerebral vasospasm. Roux S, Breu V, Giller T, Neidhart W, Ramuz H, Coassolo P, Clozel J P, Clozel M. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 1997 Dec 283: 3 1110-8.

PD 156707

Affinity and selectivity of PD156707, a novel nonpeptide endothelin antagonist, for human ET(A) and ET(B) receptors. Maguire J J, Kuc R E, Davenport A P. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 1997 Feb 280: 2 1102-8.

SB209670

Nonpeptide endothelin receptor antagonists. I. Effects on binding and signal transduction on human endothelinA and endothelinB receptors. Nambi P, Elshourbagy N, Wu H L, Pullen M, Ohlstein E H, Brooks D P, Lago M A, Elliott J D. Gleason J G, Ruffolo R R Jr. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 1994 Nov 271: 2 755-61.

WS-7338

WS-7338, new endothelin receptor antagonists isolated from Streptomyces sp. No. 7338. II. Biological characterization and pharmacological characterization of WS-7338 B. Miyata S, Hashimoto M, Fujie K, Nishikawa M, Kiyoto S, Okuhara M, Kohsaka M. J Antibiot (Tokyo) 1992 Jan 45: 1 83-7.

Erythropoietin may be any suitable form of erythropoietin. Typically, when the patient to be treated is a human, the erythropoietin is recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO).

Without prejudice to any aspect of the invention, and without being bound by any theory concerning the way the invention works, we believe that EPO improves oxygen delivery to muscle which leads to a better muscle metabolic state which decrease ergoreflex and improves cachexia.

Without prejudice to any aspect of the invention and without being bound by any theory concerning the way the invention works, we believe that administration of opiate agents will suppress firing of the arterial chemoreflexes and via this action will inhibit sympathetic nervous system activity and via this action will delay the progression of cachexia.

Without prejudice to any aspect of the invention, and without being bound by any theory concerning the way the invention works, we believe that scopolamine enhances baroreflex activity and by specific enhancement of vagal activity will via this action inhibit sympathetic nervous system activity and via this action will delay the progression of cachexia.

Without prejudice to any aspect of the invention, and without being bound by any theory concerning the way the invention works, we believe that aldosterone antagonists may present or reduce myocardial and skeletal muscle fibrosis which enables muscle to act more efficiently and thereby prevent or reduce the stimulus for SNS reflex abnormalities.

The above-mentioned classes of compounds and procedures are also useful in the treatment or prevention of weight loss due to the ageing process. They, as well as others mentioned below, are also useful in the enhancement of exercise performance in health.

Thus, a fourth aspect of the invention provides a method of treating or preventing weight loss due to the ageing process in a patient the method comprising administering to the patient an effective amount of an agent which reduces sympathetic nervous system activity.

A fifth aspect of the invention provides a method of treating or preventing weight loss due to the ageing process in a patient the method comprising administering to the patient an effective amount of any one or more of a compound which inhibits the effect of aldosterone such as an aldosterone antagonist; a chymase inhibitor; a cathepsin inhibitor; a β receptor blocker; an imidazoline receptor antagonist; a centrally acting α receptor antagonist; a peripherally acting a receptor antagonist; a ganglion blocking agent; a drug that has an effect on cardiovascular reflexes and thereby reduce SNS activity such as an opiate via chemoreceptor, a digitalis alkaloid via enhancement of baroreflex sensitivity; scopolamine; an ET-1 receptor antagonist; an xanthine oxidase inhibitor; and erythropoietin.

Without prejudice to any aspect of the invention, and without being bound by any theory concerning the way the invention works, we believe that digitalis alkaloids will, via increasing sensitivity of the arterial baroreflexes, inhibit sympathetic nervous system activity and, by this action, delay the weight loss.

A sixth aspect of the invention provides a method of treating or preventing weight loss due to the ageing process in a patient the method comprising electrically stimulating the patient's muscles. Typically, the patient to be treated is >65 years old. An overview about human weight homeostasis and weight loss due to ageing is given in Anker et al (1999) Chest 115, 836-847.

A seventh aspect of the invention provides a method of enhancing exercise performance in a healthy individual the method comprising administering to the individual an effective amount of any one or more of a compound which inhibits the effect of aldosterone such as an aldosterone antagonist; a chymase inhibitor; a cathepsin inhibitor; a β receptor blocker; an imidazoline receptor antagonist; a centrally acting α receptor antagonist; a peripherally acting α receptor antagonist; a ganglion blocking agent; a drug that has an effect on cardiovascular reflexes and thereby reduce SNS activity such as an opiate via chemoreceptor, a digitalis alkaloid via enhancement of baroreflex sensitivity, scopolamine, or an anabolic growth factor like growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) via effects on metabo-ergoreceptor; an ET-1 receptor antagonist; a TNFα antagonist; an xanthine oxidase inhibitor; and erythropoietin, and an eighth aspect of the invention provides a method of enhancing exercise performance in a healthy patient the method comprising electrically stimulating the patient's muscles.

Similarly, without prejudice and without being bound by any theory, we believe that anabolic growth factors and insulin growth factor-1 may increase skeletal muscle bulk and reduce the metabolic stress in a given muscle on exercise which will produce less stimulation of the work-sensitive muscle ergoreceptors (metaboreceptors) and will via this action inhibit sympathetic nervous system activity and via this action will delay the progression of cachexia.

Suitable digitalis alkaloids include digoxin and digitoxin and are believed to work in the context of the invention via enhancement of baroreflex sensitivity.

Suitable anabolic growth factors include growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-I, and are believed to act via effects on the metabo-ergoreceptor.

By “TNFα antagonists” we mean any agent which blocks the activity of TNFα. Such antagonists include anti-TNFα antibodies and suitable forms of TNFα receptor (eg soluble forms) that bind to TNFαc and render TNFα molecules to be biologically less active.

Furthermore, the classes of compounds described in numbered groups 1, and 6 to 10 are also useful in preventing weight loss consequent to cardiovascular disorders in patients at risk of heart disease including hypertension, dyslipidaemia and diabetes.

Thus, a ninth aspect of the invention provides a method of preventing weight loss consequent to a cardiovascular disorder in a patient at risk of heart disease the method comprising administering to the patient an effective amount of any one or more of a compound with an inhibiting effect on aldosterone; a β-receptor blocker; an imidazoline receptor antagonist; a centrally acting α receptor agonist, a peripherally acting a receptor antagonist; and a ganglion blocking agent.

The drugs are administered to the patient in any suitable form or by any suitable route in order to have the desired effect. The invention also includes the use of the drug in the manufacture of a medicament for treating the patient as said.

The aforementioned compounds for use in the methods of the invention or a formulation thereof may be administered by any conventional method including oral and parenteral (eg subcutaneous or intramuscular or intravenous) injection and inhaled and per-rectal and buccal. The treatment may consist of a single dose or a plurality of doses over a period of time.

Whilst it is possible for a compound for use in the methods of the invention to be administered alone, it is preferable to present it as a pharmaceutical formulation, together with one or more acceptable carriers. The carrier(s) must be “acceptable” in the sense of being compatible with the compound of the invention and not deleterious to the recipients thereof. Typically, the carriers will be water or saline which will be sterile and pyrogen free.

As noted above, the compounds for use in the methods of the invention may be formulated for use. The formulations may conveniently be presented in unit dosage form and may be prepared by any of the methods well known in the art of pharmacy. Such methods include the step of bringing into association the active ingredient (compound of the invention) with the carrier which constitutes one or more accessory ingredients. In general the formulations are prepared by uniformly and intimately bringing into association the active ingredient with liquid carriers or finely divided solid carriers or both, and then, if necessary, shaping the product.

Formulations in accordance with the present invention suitable for oral administration may be presented as discrete units such as capsules, cachets or tablets, each containing a predetermined amount of the active ingredient; as a powder or granules; as a solution or a suspension in an aqueous liquid or a non-aqueous liquid; or as an oil-in-water liquid emulsion or a water-in-oil liquid emulsion. The active ingredient may also be presented as a bolus, electuary or paste.

A tablet may be made by compression or moulding, optionally with one or more accessory ingredients. Compressed tablets may be prepared by compressing in a suitable machine the active ingredient in a free-flowing form such as a powder or granules, optionally mixed with a binder (eg povidone, gelatin, hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose), lubricant, inert diluent, preservative, disintegrant (eg sodium starch glycolate, cross-linked povidone, cross-linked sodium carboxymethyl cellulose), surface-active or dispersing agent. Moulded tablets may be made by moulding in a suitable machine a mixture of the powdered compound moistened with an inert liquid diluent. The tablets may optionally be coated or scored and may be formulated so as to provide slow or controlled release of the active ingredient therein using, for example, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose in varying proportions to provide desired release profile.

Formulations suitable for parenteral including intravenous administration include aqueous and non-aqueous sterile injection solutions which may contain anti-oxidants, buffers, bacteriostats and solutes which render the formulation isotonic with the blood of the intended recipient; and aqueous and non-aqueous sterile suspensions which may include suspending agents and thickening agents. The formulations may be presented in unit-dose or multi-dose containers, for example sealed ampoules and vials, and may be stored in a freeze-dried (lyophilised) condition requiring only the addition of the sterile liquid carrier, for example water for injections, immediately prior to use. Extemporaneous injection solutions and suspensions may be prepared from sterile powders, granules and tablets of the kind previously described.

Preferred unit dosage formulations are those containing a daily dose or unit, daily sub-dose or an appropriate fraction thereof, of an active ingredient.

It should be understood that in addition to the ingredients particularly mentioned above the formulations of this invention may include other agents conventional in the art having regard to the type of formulation in question, for example those suitable for oral administration may include flavouring agents.

Typically, the drug is administered when cachexia is diagnosed (duration of treatment: for the lifetime of the patient) or if a patient is thought to be at risk of developing cachexia. The drug is administered at a frequency and in sufficient amount to maintain trough levels of the agent at about 50% of peak dosing levels.

Other drugs which may be suitable in the practice of the invention as discussed above are known in the art; some of these compounds are listed for example in the latest editions of the British National Formulary and in the latest edition of Martindale's Pharmacoepia.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the following Examples and Figures wherein

Tables A, B and C show individual data for noradrenaline plasma levels which is summarised in FIG. 1.

EXAMPLE 1 Catecholamines in Chronic Heart Failure Patients

Noradrenaline Plasma Levels in Chronic Heart Failure Patients

Chronic heart failure (CHF) is a complex disorder affecting an increasing number of patients in the community with a prevalence of 10 to 30% in people over the age of 65 years [Cowie M R, Mostered A A, Wood D A, Deckers J W, Poole-Wilson P A, Sutton G C, Grobbee D E. The epidemiology of heart failure. Europ Heart J 1997; 18: 208-225.]. Multiple physiological pathways are pathologically affected, and a series of vicious cycles have been suggested that could transform cardiac abnormalities into haemodynamic, endocrine, immunological, and muscular abnormalities that all contribute to the clinical picture of chronic heart failure [Packer M. The neurohormonal hypothesis: A theory to explain the mechanism of disease progression in heart failure. J Am Coll Cardiol 1992; 20: 248-254; Anker S D, Clark A L, Kemp M, Salsbury C, Teixeira M M, Hellewell P G, Coats A J S. Tumor necrosis factor and steroid metabolism in chronic heart failure: possible relation to muscle wasting. J Am Coll Cardiol 1997; 30: 997-1001; Coats AJS, Clark A L, Piepoli M, Volterrani M, Poole-Wilson P A. Symptoms and quality of life in heart failure; the muscle hypothesis. Br Heart J 1994; 72: S36-S39.]. One of the most studied aspects is activation of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). Activation of the SNS can be expressed in several different ways. Apart from measuring circulating catecholamines (particularly noradrenaline, adrenaline, and dopamine), it is possible to assess sympathetic nervous excitation directly by measuring nerve impulses [Van de Borne P, Montano N, Zimmerman B, Pagani M, Somers V K. Relationship between repeated measures of hemodynamics, muscle sympathetic nerve activity, and their spectral oscillations. Circulation 1997; 96: 4326-4332.], or indirectly by analysing heart rate and blood pressure variability [Ponikowski P, Anker S D, Chua T P, Szelemej R, Piepoli M, Adamopoulos S, Webb-Peploe K, Harrington D, Banasiak W, Wrabec K, Coats A J S. Depressed heart rate variability as an independent predictor of death in patients with chronic heart failure. Am J Cardiol 1997; 79: 1645-1650]. The technique of assessing catecholamine levels has also been developed further by assessing the catecholamine spill-over using radio-labelled tracers [Coats Adamopoulos S, Radelli A, McCance A, Meyer T E, Bernardi L, Solda P L, Davey P, Ormerod O, Forfar C, Conway J, Sleight P. Controlled trial of physical training in chronic heart failure: exercise performance, hemodynamics, ventilation, and autonomic function. Circulation 1992; 85: 2119-2131.]. Nevertheless, measurement of catecholamine levels at rest are the most widely used technique. In this respect it is important to note, that noradrenaline and adrenaline are not only released from the adrenal medulla (as hormones), but that they are also neurotransmitters that are released into the synaptic cleft of sympathetic post-ganglionic nerves (therefore also termed adrenergic). Only a small proportion of the synaptically released catecholamines spills over into the circulation. Therefore measured plasma concentrations of noradrenaline and adrenaline may in some circumstances grossly underestimate the local catecholamine concentration in the adrenergic synapses.

Catecholamines: from Myocardial Infarction to Heart Failure

Sympathetic activation is well recognised to be important contributing to the development of myocardial ischaemia [Heusch G. α-Adrenergic mechanisms in myocardial ischaemia. Circulation 1990; 81: 1-13.]. Cardiac β-receptors mediate increases of heart rate and inotropy, that under normal conditions lead to coronary dilation to match the oxygen demand. The direct effect of catecholamines on the coronary blood vessel is vasoconstriction mediated via α-adrenoreceptors [Berne R M. Effect of epinephrine and norepinephrine on coronary circulation. Circ Res 1958; 6: 644-655.]. During exercise catecholaminergic vasoconstriction is mainly mediated through circulating catecholamines and not through local hormone release [Chilian W M, Harrison D G, Haws C W, Snyder W D, Marcus M L. Adrenergic coronary tone during submaximal exercise in the dog is produced by circulating catecholamines. Evidence for adrenergic denervation supersensitivity in the myocardium but not in coronary vessels. Circ Res 1986; 58: 68-82.]. After the development of coronary plaques and stenosis, the vasodilatory flow reserve is reduced and the metabolic vasodilation is more and more and more reduced as a result of α-adrenergic coronary vasoconstriction [Heusch G, Deussen A. The effects of cardiac sympathetic nerve stimulationon the perfusion of stenotic coronary arteries in the dog. Circ Res 1983; 53: 8-15.].

Dramatic increases of catecholamine levels have been detected early after the onset of infarction in a variety of studies. Alone between 1969 and 1980, 15 studies with about 25000 patients and 5000 control subjects (see overview in [Goldstein DS. Plasma noradrenaline as an indicator of sympathetic neutral activity in clinical cardiology. Am J Cardiol 1981; 48: 1147-1154.]) have investigated plasma noradrenaline levels after myocardial infarction. Catecholamine levels peak within minutes to few hours after the onset of symptoms, and they continue to be raised for several days. The degree of the enzymatic changes during the myocardial infarction [Vetter N J, Adams W, Strange R C, Oliver M F. Initial metabolic and hormonal response to acute myocardial infarction. Lancet 1974; 1: 284-289.], ie severity of the heart attack, the early onset of ventricular arrhythmias [McDonald L, Baker C, Bray C, McDonald A, Restieaux N. Plasma-catecholamines after myocardial infarction. Lancet 1969; 2: 1021-1023.], the development of cardiogenic shock [Benedict C R, Grahame-Smith D G. Plasma adrenaline concentrations and dopamine-beta-hydrolase activity in myocardial infarction with and without cardiogenic shock. Br Heart J 1979; 42: 214-220.], and of congestive heart failure [McDonald et al (1969) Lancet 2:1021-1023; Siggers D C M, Salter C, Fluck D C. Serial plasma adrenaline and noradrenaline levels in myocardial infarction using a new double isotope technique. Br Heart J 1971; 33: 878-883.] are all related to plasma catecholamine levels. In patients with myocardial infarction and clinical heart failure noradrenaline remains elevated for about 1 month [Sigurdsson A, Held P, Swedberg K. Short- and long-term neurohormonal activation following acute myocardial infarction. Am Heart J 1993; 126: 1068-1076.]. Sedative treatment with morphines [Mueller H S. Gory D J, Rao P S, Mudd G, Ayres S M. Cardiac catecholamine response during evolving myocardial infarct in man. Circulation 1980 (Suppl III); 62: III-81. (abstract)], and β-blockers [Mueller H S, Ayres S M. Propranolol decreases sympathetic nervous activity reflected by plasma catecholamines during evolution of myocardial infarction in man. J Clin Invest 1980; 65: 338-346.] have long been known to be able to reduce catecholamine levels during acute myocardial infarction. Ischaemic heart disease is the most common cause of developing CHF.

When heart failure has fully developed it is then difficult to establish what exactly induces neurohormonal activation, as both the underlying disease process itself and the medication contribute to the complex hormonal alterations. Measurements in untreated patients have revealed that the sympathetic system is activated (raised catecholamine levels), but that in contrast the renin-angiotensin system is usually not activated [Francis G S, Benedict C, Johnstone D E, Kirlin P C, Nicklas J, Liang C S, Kubo S H, Rudin-Toretsky E, Yusuf S. Comparison of neuroendocrine activation in patients with left ventricular dysfunction with and without congestive heart failure. A substudy of the Studies of Left Ventricular Dysfunction (SOLVD). Circulation 1990; 82: 1724-1729; Remes J, Tikkanen I, Fyhrquist F, Pyorala K. Neuroendocrine activity in untreated heart failure. Br Heart J 1991; 65: 249-255.]. The initial sensor to activate these alterations remains unclear, but it is known that in the absence of a neurohormonal body response the blood pressure would fall, ie tissue blood perfusion would be insufficient [Harris P. Congestive cardiac failure: central role of the arterial blood pressure. Br Heart J 1987; 58: 190-203.]. Therefore the initial triggers of neurohormonal activation in heart failure could be baroreceptors in the heart and aorta. When heart failure progresses other mechanisms may gain more importance. The baroreflex responses are blunted in stable chronic heart failure, whereas the peripheral and central chemoreflex sensitivity [Pomikowski P, Chua TP, Piepoli M, Ondusova D, Webb-Peploe K, Harrington D, Anker S D, Volterrani M, Colombo R, Mazzuero G, Giordano A, Coats A J. Augmented peripheral chemosensitivity as a potential input to baroreflex impairment and autonomic imbalance in chronic heat failure. Circulation 1997 Oct. 21; 96(8): 2586-2594; Chua T P, Clark A L, Amadi A A, Coats A J. Relation between chemosensitivity and the ventilatory response to exercise in chronic heart failure. J Am Coll Cardiol 1996; 27: 650-657.] as well as the metabo-ergoreceptor reflex (afferents sensitive to skeletal muscle work load) [Piepoli M, Clark A L, Volterrani M, Adamopoulos S, Sleight P, Coats A J. Contribution of muscle afferents to the hemodynamic, autonomic, and ventilatory responses to exercise in patients with chronic heart failure: effects of physical training. Circulation 1996 Mar. 1; 93(5): 940-952.] deliver a strong sympathetic nervous input that may finally also lead to chronically raised catecholamine levels in sever chronic heart failure.

Catecholamines and Weight Loss in Chf Patients

Only recently, we have documented [Anker S D, Chua T P, Swan J W, Ponikowski P, Harrington D, Kox W J, Poole-Wilson P A, Coats A J S. Hormonal changes and catabolic/anabolic imbalance in chronic heart failure: The importance for cardiac cachexia. Circulation 1997; 96: 526-534.] that, when considering the conventional disease severity markers peak oxygen consumption, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and NYHA class, none of these markers very strongly related to resting noradrenaline and adrenaline levels. However, the presence of cardiac cachexia, ie significant non-intentional non-oedematous weight loss (>7.5% of the previous normal weight), related closely to the presence of raised catecholamine levels. Non-cachectic patients with CHF did on average not have elevated catecholamine levels.

Catecholamines can alter the metabolic status of the body, ie they can contribute to increased metabolic rates that may finally lead to a catabolic status and weight loss. This has never been considered to be a basic mechanism for body wasting in human disease in general.

Catecholamines and Weight Loss in Wasting Disorders

We have studied a variety of other cachectic conditions—for instance due to AIDS, liver cirrhosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic renal failure, chronic infections (like pneumonia) and cancer—and we have found activation of the SNS as evidenced by elevated plasma noradrenaline levels (mean plasma levels were clearly above the upper limit of the normal range, see Tables A, B and C and FIG. 1). This is not dependent on any specific etiology for the cachectic disorder, in fact we find elevated noradrenaline plasma levels (ie SNS activity) also in cases of idiopathic cachexia, ie cachexia of unknown origin. Nevertheless, we find the activation of the SNS to be specific for cachectic disorders, as it is not seen in patients with a similar degree of weight loss consequent upon malnutrition.

Method to Measure Noradrenaline:

Blood samples were collected after supine rest of at least 10 minutes. An antecubital polyethylene catheter was inserted and 10 ml of venous blood were drawn. After immediate centrifugation aliquots (EDTA plasma sample) were stored at −70° C. until analysis. Noradrenaline was measured by reverse-phase high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) with electrochemical detection. The detectable limit was: 0.2 nmol/l. The within batch coefficient of variance of repeated measures is less than 5%, the between batch coefficient of variance for repeated measures is 9%. The upper limit of normal for subjects (mean+2 standard deviations of control group: 3.31 nmnol/l).

TABLE A ANOVA Table for NA* nmol/l Mean DF Sum of Squares Square F-Value P-Value Cachexia diag.- 11 260.240 23.658 2.850 .0020 NA-Figure Residual 103 825.866 8.019 *NA is noradrenaline.

TABLE B Means Table for NA* nmol/l Effect: Cachexia diag.-NA*-Figure Count Mean Std. Dev. Std. Err. AIDS 6 5.217 4.801 1.960 cachectic CHF 15 4.870 2.518 .650 Cancer 2 8.365 5.056 3.575 chronic renal failure 2 3.686 4.688 3.315 COPD 14 3.643 2.305 .616 healthy controls 16 1.940 .687 .172 ideopathic cachexia 2 3.835 3.203 2.265 infection 6 6.437 6.966 2.844 Livercirrh + Cachexia 6 6.098 5.693 2.324 Malnutrition 5 2.967 1.764 .728 more Controls 3 2.373 1.088 .634 nc CHF 37 2.684 1.344 .221 *NA is noradrenaline.

TABLE C Fisher's PLSO for NA* nmol/l Effect: Cachexia diag.-NA*-Figure Significance Level: 5% Means Diff. Crit. Diff. P-Value AIDS, cachectin CHF .347 2.718 .8004 AIDS, Cancer −3.148 4.586 .1768 AIDS, chronic renal failure 1.522 4.586 .5118 AIDS, COPD 1.574 2.740 .2579 AIDS, healthy controls 3.277 2.688 .0174 AIDS, ideopathic cachexia 1.382 4.586 .5514 AIDS, infection −1.220 3.249 .4572 AIDS, Livercirrh + Cachexia −.882 3.243 .5909 AIDS, Malnutrition 2.230 3.249 .1756 AIDS, more Controls 2.643 3.971 .1586 AIDS, nc CHF 2.693 2.472 .0371 cachectic CHF, Cancer −3.495 4.228 .1042 cachectic CHF, chronic renal failure 1.175 4.226 .5827 cachectic CHF, COPD 1.227 2.087 .2462 cachectic CHF, healthy controls 2.930 2.018 .0049 cachectic CHF, ideopathic cachexia 1.095 4.228 .6283 canhectic CHF, infection −1.667 2.713 .2547 cachectic CHF, Livercirrh + −1.228 2.713 .3713 Cachexia cachectic CHF, Malnutrition −1.869 2.713 .1716 cachectic CHF, more Controls 2.497 3.552 .1663 cachectic CHF, nc CHF 2.286 1.719 .0096 Cancer, chronic renal failure 4.670 5.616 .1022 Cancer, COPD 4.722 4.246 .0296 Cancer, healthy controls 6.425 4.212 .0031 Cancer, ideopathic cachexia Cancer, infection 1.928 4.586 .4062 Cancer, Livercirrh + Cachexia 2.267 4.586 .3292 Cancer, Malnutrition 5.378 4.586 .0220 Cancer, more Controls 5.992 5.127 .0224 Cancer, nc CHF 5.781 4.077 .0058 chronic renal failure, COPD .052 4.246 .9805 chronic renal failure, healthy controls 1.755 4.212 .4105 chronic renal failure, ideopathic −.140 5.516 .9607 cachexia chronic renal failure, infection −2.742 4.586 .2384 chronic renal failure, Livercirrh + −2.403 4.586 .3010 Cachexia chronic renal failure, Malnutrition .708 4.586 .7600 chronic renal failure, more Controls 1.322 5.127 .6109 chronic renal failure, nc CHF 1.111 4.077 .5900 COPD, healthy controls 1.703 2.066 .1085 COPD, ideopathic cachexia −.192 4.246 .9285 COPD, Infection −2.794 2.740 .0456 COPD, Livercirrh + Cachexia −2.456 2.740 .0785 COPD, Malnutrition .856 2.740 .6360 COPD, more Controls 1.269 9.573 .4827 COPD, nc CHF 1.059 1.762 .2362 healthy controls, ideopathic cachexia −1.895 4.212 .3743 healthy controls, infection −4.497 2.689 .0013 healthy controls, Livercirrh + −4.158 2.689 .0028 Cachexia healthy controls, Malnutrition −1.047 2.689 .4418 healthy controls, more Controls −.433 3.533 .8083 healthy controls, nc CHF −.644 1.680 .4491 ideopathic cachexia, infection −2.602 4.586 .2631 ideopathic cachexia, Livercirrh + −2.263 4.586 .3299 Cachexia ideopatbic cachexia, Malnutrition .846 4.586 .7144 ideopathic cachexia, more Controls 1.462 6.127 .5730 ideopathic cachexia, nc CHF 1.251 4.077 .5441 infection, Livercirrh + Cachexia .388 3.243 .8366 infection, Malnutrition 3.450 3.243 .0373 infection, more Controls 4.068 3.971 .0450 infection, nc CHF 3.853 2.472 .0026 Livercirrh + Cachexia, Malnutrition 3.112 3.243 .0598 Livercirrh + Cachexia, more Controls 3.725 3.971 .0657 Livercirrh + Cachexia, nc CHF 3.515 2.472 .0058 Malnutrition, more Controls .613 3.971 .7600 Malnutrition, nc CHF .403 2.472 .7472 more Controls, nc CHF −.210 3.371 .9017 *NA is noradrenaline.

EXAMPLE 2 Analysis of Aldosterone Serum Levels in Cachectic Subjects with Chronic Wasting Disorders

Aldosterone serum levels have been analysed hi a number of subjects with these disorders compared to healthy controls, patients with weight loss due to malnutrition (ie no active wasting disease), and CHF patients without cachexia (see Table below and FIG. 3). Patients with active wasting disease have on average 2.5 to 13-fold increased aldosterone levels compared to healthy control subjects (their mean: 43.2 ng/ml, upper limit or normal: 81 ng/ml). Patients with weight loss due to malnutrition have normal aldosterone levels. This supports our view that high aldosterone levels are pathophysiologically linked to the presence of chronic active body wasting due, ie cachexia, and that treatment with aldosterone antagonists may be beneficial.

Table: Mean Serum Aldosterone Levels in ng/ml.

Means Table for Aldosterone ng/ml

Effect: Cachexia diag.-Aldost

TABLE Mean serum aldosterone levels in ng/ml. Means Table for Aldosterone ng/ml Effect: Cachexia diag.-Aldost Count Mean Std. Dev. Std. Err. AIDS 4 105.25 124.14 62.07 Cancer 7 163.57 59.59 22.52 cCHF 17 168.18 102.83 24.94 Control 16 43.19 18.87 4.72 Infection 11 184.91 398.17 120.05 Liver/cirrhosis + 6 578.17 297.16 121.32 Cachexia Malnutrition 6 55.50 39.56 16.15 ncCHF 16 98.12 59.07 14.77 Renal failure 2 456.00 2.83 2.00 cachexia cCHF is cachectic CHF and ncCHF is non-cachectic CHF.

We conclude that abnormalities of aldosterone-linked metabolic pathways occur in cachectic disorders independently of the specific aetiology for the cachectic disorder. Nevertheless, we find the alteration of the aldosterone pathway to be specific for cachectic disorders, as it is not seen in patients with a similar degree of weight loss consequent upon malnutrition.

Method to Measure Aldosterone:

Blood samples were collected after supine rest of at least 10 minutes. An antecubital polyethylene catheter was inserted and 10 ml of venous blood were drawn. After immediate centrifugation aliquots were stored at −70° C. until analysis. Aldosterone was measured using a commercially available competitive radioimmunoassay (DPC, Los Angeles, USA, sensitivity 10 ng/ml). This test is a coated tube assay using radio-iodinated tracer. Bound and free phases are separated by decantation. The radioactivity in the bound fractions is measured and a typical standard curve can be generated. The test has a cross-reactivity with spironolactone and aldosterone metabolites of <1% and a within test coefficient of variance is <7% and the between test variability is <10%.

EXAMPLE 3 Endothelin-1 (ET-1), TNF and Xanthine Oxidase Activity

We have previously suggested that the metabo-ergoreceptor reflex (afferents sensitive to skeletal muscle work load) [Piepoli M, Clark A L, Volterrani M, Adamopoulos S, Sleight P, Coats A J (1996) “Contribution of muscle afferents to the hemodynamic, autonomic, and ventilatory responses to exercise in patients with chronic heart failure: effects of physical training” Circulation 93(5), 940-952] can deliver a strong sympathetic nervous input that may finally lead to chronically raised catecholamine levels, ie that via this mechanism activation of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) may occur. We have presented data in Example 2 that catecholamine levels are specifically raised in many cachectic syndromes.

The sensitivity of the metabo-ergoreceptor reflex response is determined by the general metabolic status of the musculature, the main determinant of the latter is the blood flow to the musculature, because via the blood flow the musculature receives its supply of oxygen and nutrients.

It is a characteristic of cachectic patients with CHF to have a poor peripheral blood flow [Anker S D, Swan J W, Volterrani M, Chua T P, Clark A L, Poole-Wilson P A, Coats A J S (1997) “The influence of muscle mass, strength, fatiguability and blood flow on exercise capacity in cachectic and non-cachectic patients with chronic heart failure” Europ Heart J 18, 259-269]. We have previously published that high uric acid levels [Anker S D, Leyva F, Poole-Wilson, Kox W J, Stevenson J C, A J S Coates (1997) “Relationship between serum uric acid and lower limb blood flow in patients with chronic heart failure” Heart 78, 39-43] and TNFα [Anker S D, Volterrani M, Egerer K R, Felton C V, Kox W J, Poole-Wilson P A, Coats A J S (1998) “Tumor necrosis factor—α as a predictor of peak leg blood flow in patients with chronic heart failure” Q J Med 91, 199-203] are very strong correlates of impaired peripheral blood flow in CHF patients. We now propose that treating high TNFα-levels (with TNFα-antibodies or other drugs to reduce biologically active TNF levels—like soluble TNF receptor constructs) and/or high uric acid levels (with xanthine oxidase inhibitors) may improve skeletal muscle blood flow, thereby muscle metabolic status and then metabo-ergoreceptor reflex response, and finally SNS status and the wasting disorder improve.

Another possibility to treat cachexia arises when endothelin-1 (ET-1), the strongest endogenous vasoconstrictive hormone, is considered. Its levels have never been determined in cachectic patients. We present data that ET-1 is significantly highest in cachectic CHF patients (p<0.05 vs controls and non-cachectic CHF patients, respectively), although NYHA class and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were not different between patient groups. Also age was not different between groups. CHF patients without cachexia do not show abnormal ET-1 levels.

Table: Clinical Characteristics and Endothelin-1 (ET-1) Levels in CHF Patients with and Without Cachexia and Healthy Control Subjects.

TABLE Clinical characteristics and endothelin-1 (ET-1) levels in CHF patients with and without cachexia and healthy control subjects. controls non-cachectic CHF cachectic CHF parameter n = 7 n = 11 n-12 age (years) 70 ± 2  66 ± 3  67 ± 3  NYHA class 2.3 ± 0.1 2.7 ± 0.3 LVEF (%) 34 ± 5  30 ± 6  ET-1 (pmol/l) 1.97 ± 0.38 2.22 ± 0.28 2.98 ± 0.20

Although not being bound by any theory a proposed mechanism of action is:

a) inhibition of ET-1 bioactivity by blocking ET-1 receptors, then induction of vasodilation, improvement of muscle blood flow and thereby of metabolic status, then less stimulation of SNS activation, positive effects on cachexia;

b) blocking of TNFα bioactivity, less damage to vasculature and less muscle cell damage directly (inhibition of directly detrimental effects of TNF) and indirectly (inhibition of oxygen free radical generation due to TNF action), thereby improvement of muscle blood flow and muscle cell function and thereby of muscle metabolic status, then less stimulation of SNS activation, positive effects on cachexia and wasting in general;

c) blocking of xanthine oxidase activity, less production of xanthine oxidase derived oxygen free radicals, therefore less damage to vasculature and muscle cells, thereby improvement of muscle blood flow and muscle cell function and thereby of muscle metabolic status, then less stimulation of SNS activation, positive effects on cachexia and wasting in general.

The improved muscle blood flow, muscle cell function and muscle metabolic status believed to be brought about by blocking of TNFα activity is considered to be beneficial in enhancing exercise performance in a healthy patient.

EXAMPLE 4 Cardiorespiratory Reflexes in Chronic Heart Failure (CHF) Patients with Cardiac Cachexia

Cardiac cachexia in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) predicts very poor prognosis and is linked to neurohormonal activation and an altered balance between catabolism and anabolism (in favour of catabolism).

Impaired sympatho-vagal balance in CHF is important part of neuroendocrine overactivity, is linked to a poor outcome and the underlying mechanisms remain unexplained, but overactive muscle ergoreflex system is one possible stimulus.

Having in mind the neurohormonal changes and high mortality in CHF patients with cardiac cachexia, we hypothesised that in these patients a particularly abnormal pattern of cardiorespiratory reflexes is present. The aim of the study described here was to assess whether impaired reflex control within the cardiorespiratory system (as evidenced by baroreflex inhibition, peripheral chemoreflex overactivity, and abnormal heart rate variability [HRV] patterns) is associated with the presence of cardiac cachexia rather than with conventional markers of CHF severity.

Patients

39 Stable CHF Patients Studied:

all men, age 60 y, NYHA class: II-IV, peak VO₂: 17 ml/kg/min, LVEF:24%

Patients divided into 2 groups:

-   -   13 patients with cardiac cachexia vs 26 non-cachectic CHF         patients     -   cachectic and noncachectic patients were matched according to         age and CHF disease severity         Cardiac Cachexia:

non-intentional, non-edematous, documented weight loss >7.5% of the previous normal weight over a period of >6 months, and a BMI (=weight/height²)<24 kg/m² (to exclude obese dieters)

Control Subjects

For the comparison of the results of HRV and baroreflex sensitivity 11 healthy controls (all men, mean age: 60±7 y) were studied.

For the comparison of the results of peripheral chemosensitivity and hormonal measurements data for healthy data for healthv control subjects from the following studies were used:

-   -   peripheral CHEMO (chemoreflex sensitivity): Chua T P et         al (1995) Eur J Clin Invest 25, 887     -   hormonal measurements: Anker S D et al (1997) Circulation 96,         Methods (1)         1. Evaluation of the Cardiorespiratory Reflex Control         Assessment of the Sympatho-Vagal Control of Heart Rate     -   power spectral analysis of HRV derived from 20 minutes recorded         the following spectral bands were identified: very low frequency         (0.003-0.04 Hz, VLF), low frequency (0.05-0.14 Hz, LF), and high         frequency (0.15-0.40 Hz, HF)         Peripheral Chemosensitivity Evaluation     -   transient hypoxic method (the ventilatory response to hypoxia         using transient inhalations of pure nitrogen)         Methods (2)         Baroreflex Sensitivity     -   phenylephrine method         2. Hormonal Measurements         Fasting Venous Blood Samples     -   collected in the morning (9 and 10 am)     -   after patients' supine rest of at least 20 min     -   levels of epinephrine and norepinephrine measured using HPLC         (sensitivity 0.1 ng/mrl for both)         Results (1)         Table: HRV Measures in Controls, Non-Cachectic (ncCHF) and         Cachectic (cCHF) Patients

TABLE HRV measure in controls, non-cachectic (ncCHF) and cachectic (cCHF) patients ncCHF cCHF Controls (n = 26) (n = 13) p-value Mean RR 1009 ± 133  875 ± 125 790 ± 181 cCHF vs NS (ms) ncCHF cCHF vs 0.0008 cont ncCHF vs 0.01 cont TP (In ms²) 7.1 ± 0.6 6.7 ± 1.2 6.1 ± 0.7 NS VLF (% TP) 63 ± 12 76 ± 12 85 ± 10 cCHF vs 0.07 ncCHF cCHF vs 0.0002 cont ncCHF vs 0.004 cont LF (In ms²) 5.6 ± 0.9 4.2 ± 1.4 1.7 ± 1.5 cCHF vs <0.0001 ncCHF cCHF vs <0.0001 cont ncCHF vs 0.008 cont LF 64 ± 19 42 ± 21 15 ± 18 cCHF vs 0.002 (normalised ncCHF units) cCHF vs <0.0001 cont ncCHF vs 0.009 cont HF (In ms²) 4.7 ± 1.1 4.1 ± 1.3 3.3 ± 0.9 NS Results (2) Table: Baroreflex Sensitivity, Peripheral Chemosensitivity and Hormonal Measures in Controls, Non-Cachectic (ncCHF) and Cachectic (cCHF) Patients

TABLE Baroflex sensitivity, peripheral chemosensitivity and hormonal measures in control, non-cachectic (ncCHF) and cachectic (cCHF) patients ncCHF cCHF Controls (n = 26) (n = 13) p-value Baroreflex sensitivity 9.2 ± 4.9 5.5 ± 3.5 1.5 ± 1.9 cCHF vs ncCHF 0.04 (ms/mmHg) cCHF vs cont 0.0005 ncCHF vs cont 0.02 Peripheral 0.29 ± 0.21 0.47 ± 0.20 0.91 ± 0.37 cCHF vs ncCHF <0.0001 chemosensitivity cCHF vs cont <0.0001 (L/min/% SaO₂) ncCHF vs cont 0.05 Epinephrine (nmol/L) 0.51 ± 0.16 0.68 ± 0.23 2.46 ± 1.74 cCHF vs ncCHF <0.0001 cCHF vs cont <0.0001 ncCHF vs cont NS Norepinephrine (nmol/L) 1.94 ± 0.68 2.34 ± 0.16 4.61 ± 3.92 cCHF vs ncCHF 0.02 cCHF vs cont <0.003 ncCHF vs cont NS Conclusions

1. Patients with chronic heart failure who developed cardiac cachexia demonstrate particularly abnormal reflex control within the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

2. The nature of the link between this phenomenon and the hormonal changes and the poor prognosis of cachectic CHF patients raises the potential for novel therapeutic strategies targeting the wasting process in cachectic CHF patients by altering the reflex status of patients that could lead to less activation of the sympathetic nervous system and better symptomatic status.

EXAMPLE 5 Treatment with Atenolol

A hypertensive patient presented weighing 85.6 kg. He was treated with Losartan 50 mgs OD, Bendrofluazide 2-5 mgs OD, Doxazosin 1 mg OD and Atenolol, a β-blocker, 50 mgs OD. In 11 months his weight increased to 94.3 kg.

EXAMPLE 6 The Presence of Sympathetic Nervous System Activation and Abnormal Sympatho-Vagal Balance in AIDS-Related Wasting Disease

Sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activation and abnormal sympatho-vagal balance is not only present in patients with cardiac cachexia (Example 4), but also in patients with cachexia due to other disease in the absence of heart failure or any other cardiac disease. The assessment of cardiorespiratory reflex control in 19 patients with documented AIDS disease and documented weight loss of >10% (mean 22.3±1.7%) and body mass index <20 kg/M² was compared to 9 non-cachectic AIDS patients.

The table displays the results of power spectral analyses of heart rate variability (HRV, see methods in Example 4). Statistical test: unpaired t-test. P-values are indicated.

Unpaired t-test for BMI in kg/m2

Grouping Variable: cach?AIDS

Hypothesized Difference=0

Row Exclusion: AIDS HRV-adapted 10/99-StV

Mean Diff. DF t-Value P-Value cAIDS, ncAIDS −5.466 26 −7.349 <.0001 Group Info for BMI in kg/m2 Grouping Variable: cach?AIDS Row Exclusion: AIDS HRV-Adapted 10/99-StV

Count Mean Variance Std. Dev. Std. Err cAIDS 19 17.410 3.438 1.854 .425 ncAIDS 9 22.875 3.243 1.801 .600 Unpaired t-test for AGE in Years Grouping Variable: cach?AIDS Hypothesized Difference=0 Row Exclusion: AIDS HRV-Adapted 10/99-StV

Mean Diff. DF t-Value P-Value cAIDS, ncAIDS −4.474 26 −1.475 .1522 Group Info for AGE in Years Grouping Variable: cach?AIDS Row Exclusion: AIDS HRV-Adapted 1 0199-StV

Count Mean Variance Std. Dev. Std. Err cAIDS 19 38.526 58.041 7.618 1.748 ncAIDS 9 43.000 52.000 7.211 2.404 Unpaired t-test for In HRV-TP (In ms2) Grouping Variable: cach?AIDS Hypothesized Difference=0 Row Exclusion: AIDS HRV-Adapted 10/99-StV

Mean Diff. DF t-Value P-Value cAIDS, ncAIDS −.949 26 −1.897 .0690 Group Info for In HRV-TP (In ms2) Grouping Variable: cach?AIDS Row exclusion: AIDS HRV-Adapted 10/99-StV

Count Mean Variance Std. Dev. Std. Err cAIDS 19 5.357 1.230 1.109 .254 ncAIDS 9 6.306 2.200 1.483 .494

From the Results Can be Concluded:

1. Cachectic AIDS patients show abnormal sympatho-vagal balance (low LF regardless of whether analysed in absolute or normalised units) compared to non-cachectic AIDS patients and healthy controls (see data in Example 4). Also overall HRV (total power: TP) was lower in cachectic vs non-cachectic AIDS patients (p<0.07). Although HF was not significantly lower in cachectic AIDS patients vs non-cachectic AIDS patients (p=0.16), it was much lower than in healthy subjects or heart failure patients (compare with data in Example 4).

2. The link between abnormal sympatho-vagal balance and hormonal/metabolic abnormalities—in cachectic AIDS patients indicates that the treatments that alter such abnormalities as described herein could have favourable effects on the wasting status of these patients and thereby exert overall beneficial effects.

EXAMPLE 7 Treatment of a Cachectic Patient with Chronic Heart Failure with an Example Beta-Blocker (Carvedilol)

We disclose herein that beta-receptor blockade is of benefit for cachectic patients—even if such patients are previously treated with an ACE inhibitor. To exemplify this, we have treated a patient with cachexia due to chronic heart failure (CHF) with an aetiology of idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (age 60 years, male, weight 69.2 kg, height 183 cm, previous weight loss 10.0 kg [11.6%] in 2 years, indicative of chronic weight loss) with Carvedilol (3.125 mg to 12.5 mg twice daily). We have studied body weight, clinical status, parameters of treadmill exercise capacity, and body composition at baseline and during follow-up. The patient had evidence of CHF with impaired exercise capacity and impaired left ventricular function (fractional shortening 17%) and left ventricular dilation (LVEDD 60 mm) at baseline. The patient had good compliance in taking the carvedilol.

Used Methods:

Body composition was studied using bioelectrical impedance analysis in the erect position using a body fat analyser (TANITA THF-305, Tanita Corporation, IL, USA). Lean and fat mass were automatically analysed based on equations supplied and programmed into the machine by the manufacturer. These equations are based upon a comparison with measurements in a healthy population.

Treadmill exercise testing: The patients underwent symptom limited treadmill exercise testing. A standard Bruce protocol with the addition of a “stage 0” consisting of 3 min at a speed of 1 mile per hour with a 5% gradient was used. The patients breathed through a one-way valve connected to a respiratory mass spectrometer (Amis 2000, Odense, Denmark) and minute ventilation, oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production were calculated on line every 10 seconds using a standard inert gas dilution technique. Patients were encouraged to exercise to exhaustion. Exercise time and oxygen consumption at peak exercise adjusted for total body weight (peak VO, in nil/kg/min) were measured as an index of the exercise capacity.

Result:

The results show that the patient had an improvement in exercise capacity (peak VO₂ increase of 15%) and in respiratory efficiency indicated by an improvement in VE/VCO₂-slope, which decreased by 15.5%. The increase in exercise capacity was associated with an increase in lean muscle tissue (increased by 1.8 kg). The improvement in VE/VCO₂-slope indicates that muscle metabolic status and reflex status may have additionally improved. In this patient body weight increased by 2.1 kg (3.1%), without development of oedema. The patient tolerated the treatment well.

Conclusion:

Beta-blocker treatment was shown to be beneficial in a cachectic patient.

EXAMPLE 8 Treatment of Cachexia Patients with an Aldosterone Antagonist (Spironolactone)

We disclose herein that the blockade of the aldosterone pathway is of benefit for cachectic patients—even if such patients are previously treated with an ACE inhibitor. To exemplify this, we have treated a patient with cachexia due to chronic heart failure (CHF) on the background of coronary artery disease (age 76 years, male, weight 76.0 kg, height 182 cm, previous weight loss 10.0 kg [11.6%] in 3 years, indicative of chronic weight loss) with spironolactone (25 mg once daily). We have studied body weight, clinical status and parameters of treadmill exercise capacity at baseline and during follow-up. The patient had evidence of CHF with impaired exercise capacity and impaired left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF 34%) and left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVEDD 72 mm) at baseline. The patient had good compliance in taking spironolactone.

Used Methods:

Treadmill exercise testing: The patient underwent symptom limited treadmill exercise testing. A standard Bruce protocol was used. The patient breathed through a one-way valve connected to a commercially available respiratory gas analyser (MedGraphics Inc., USA) and minute ventilation and oxygen consumption were recorded on line every 15 seconds. The patient was encouraged to exercise to exhaustion. Exercise time and oxygen consumption at peak exercise adjusted for total body weight (peak VO₂ in ml/kg/min) was measured as an index of the exercise capacity. One day prior to the intended baseline exercise test an additional exercise test was performed to familarise the patient with the test procedure.

Results:

The results show that the patient had a dramatic improvement in exercise capacity (peak VO₂ increase of 79%, exercise time increased by 53%), the symptomatic New York Heart Association functional class (NYHA class) improved from class III symptoms to class II symptoms. We have evidence that in this patient body weight increased by 1.5 kg (2%), without development of any oedema. We observed no side effects of the treatment. The improvement of exercise capacity and increase in oxygen consumption was achieved on the basis of a stable peak ventilation, ie it can be concluded that also ventilatory efficiency increased.

Conclusion:

It is well known that the peak oxygen consumption of CHF patients most significantly correlates with leg muscle (lean) tissue mass (Anker et al (1998) Am J. Cardiol. 83, 612-615). The strong increase in peak oxygen consumption is indicative of the weight increase mainly reflecting an increase of leg muscle tissue. Additionally, the increase in ventilatory efficiency indicates improved ventilatory reflex status which, we think, is due to improved muscle metabolic status. Aldosterone antagonist treatment was shown to be beneficial in a cachectic patient. 

1. A method of treating cachexia in a patient, the method comprising administering to the patient an agent selected from the group consisting of a β receptor blocker or a compound which inhibits the effect of aldosterone in an effective amount to reduce sympathetic nervous system activity.
 2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the compound which inhibits the effect of aldosterone is an aldosterone antagonist.
 3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the aldosterone antagonist is selected from the group consisting of spironolactone, testolactone, RU40555, RU26752, canrenoate, eplerenone, 3-(17β-hydroxy-3-oxoandrosta-1,4,6,11-tetraen-17α-y1) propionic acid γ lactone, 3-(9-α-fluoro-17 β-hydroxy-3-oxo-androsta-4-en-17 α-y1) propionic acid γ lactone, dihydro-spirorenone, spirorenone, 15,16-methylene derivatives of spironolactone, mespirenone and SC9420.
 4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the β receptor blocker is selected from the group consisting of acebutolol, alprenolol, atenolol, betaxolol, bisoprolol, carteolol, celiprolol, esmolol, labetolol, lavobunolol, metipranolol, metoprolol, nadolol, oxprenolol, penbutolol, pindolol, propanolol, sotalol, timolol, nebivolol, carvedilol and bucindolol.
 5. The method of claim 1 wherein the drug reduces sympathetic nervous system activity by affecting cardiovascular reflexes.
 6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the cachexia results from an underlying disease is selected from the group consisting of AIDS, liver cirrhosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with or without emphysema, chronic renal failure, chronic infections, cancer, heart disease including hypertension and chronic heart failure.
 7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the patient has idiopathic cachexia.
 8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the underlying disease is chronic heart failure and the patient has cardiac cachexia.
 9. The method of claim 1 wherein the β receptor blocker is bucindolol.
 10. The method of claim 1 wherein the β preceptor blocker is nebivolol. 